High summer can be a discomfort for gardeners on the bug and illness front. A lot of the conditions of earlier in the season will still be hanging about unless they were suitably handled and both July and August have a few of their own to tax our ingenuity.

Tree fruit is the top target, and the leader of the pack needs to be Codling Moth (the 'g' is optional ). This is a tiring beast, and is often only found when the fruit is harvested and the devastating effects of the larvae are all too apparent. The proof of the Codling Moth is in the eating, and otherwise healthy-looking fruit will be discovered to be anything however healthy when you take the very first bite. The chewed up interior supplies ample and horrible proof of the caterpillars' activities.

This is a tricky one, as the moth lays its eggs in the flowers method back in the spring. When the larva hatches it feeds on the unripe fruit and departs, normally before ripening, frequently by way of the 'eye' of the fruit, and therefore avoids detection. The mature caterpillars then migrate downwards to pupate in cracks and crevices in the bark.

One from of control is to trap the fully grown larvae on their method to their pupation websites. The method is to attach bands or sleeves of corrugated cardboard around the bases of the main branches and/or around the tops of the trunks. The idea is that the descending larvae discover these cardboard hideaways to be appealing pupating spots and sit tight. Early in September, when the down migration is well and genuinely over, you remove the bands, discover the cosily ensconced pupae and get rid of them appropriately. It might not save any fruit this year but need to minimize the population next season.

Another scourge of apples which might be puzzled with Codling is Apple Sawfly. This wasp-like insect likewise lays its eggs in the bloom and the larvae also eat the establishing fruit. The distinctions are that the sawfly larvae generally do their worst rather quicker and the damaged fruitlets fall off prior to they are completely grown. The larva typically leaves a visible scar from its early activities near the 'eye' end of the fruit and normally emerges from a hole in the side. The hole is generally marked by a yukky mess of dark brown frass. Once the fruit has actually fallen the larvae take sanctuary in the soil to pupate.

The trick here is to capture them prior to they can pull off the escape manoeuvre. This means taking a look at the fruitlets on the tree and eliminating and damaging any which show the tell-tale scars. As the scarring is not totally common, collect any fallen fruitlets day-to-day and destroy them too. Again, this won't do much for this year's crop however should assist to lower next year's Sawfly population. If you have an area of bare soil around the trees it will be an excellent concept to fork it over to expose the pupae to the birds prior to applying the fall mulch.

Apples are not alone among the tree fruit in being prone to maggoty pests at this time of year. Plums are prone to the depredations of the aptly called Plum Moth. This has a similar mode of operation to its apple counterparts, the larvae eating the centre of the fruit and leaving a nasty, frassy mess behind them.

The impacted fruit typically ripen prematurely and may also be spotted by shallow imprints on the surface area. Examine the trees regularly and eliminate and ruin any dubious-looking fruit. Like Codling Moth, this one tends to pupate in bark crevices, so the corrugated bands may help if you do not rely on the birds to do the task.

These fruit bashers are quite tough consumers and we are not likely to be able to get rid of any of them by natural methods, but we can definitely minimise the damage and ensure we get a good crop. When we just have to accept some losses in the organic cause, there are events.

August is mildew month.

Powdery and Downy Mildew affect the foliage of an entire range of plants at this time Click to find out more of year and, for starters, it may be good to compare them. Powdery Mildew typically announces its presence with a white, floury finish appearing on the upper surfaces of the leaves. This is followed by more 'fur' on the lower surfaces, infecting stems and buds, and distortion of the young foliage.

Its Downy cousin typically appears first as angular yellow spots, mainly between the veins on the upper surface area of the leaves. It is most apparent on the young leaves, and can be puzzled with a variety of chlorosis-causing mineral deficiencies. The next stage, however, confirms the existence of the fungus. A grey/white fur appears on the underside of the leaves and, if the infection is uncontrolled, the entire plant will start to look rather sorry for itself.

Between them, these two attack practically any garden plant from apples and roses to brassicae and cucurbits. They are unforeseeable beasts and can take place basically anywhere at this time of year, but it appears that some environmental conditions favour their spread. When the soil is dry and air conditions are humid, as a basic guideline they seem to grow finest. There is not much we can do about air humidity however we can make sure that the soil surface area does not dry out. To fight the mildews' favourite conditions as much as possible we must mulch strongly to maintain soil moisture without excessive water use, never use overhead watering, and space plants such as to enable a decent air flow.

The other vital anti-mildew action is the elimination of infected foliage as quickly as the very first signs of the fungis are spotted. There you go: vigilance and quick response once again.